


Six Years

by siriusissues



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 16:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15667386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriusissues/pseuds/siriusissues
Summary: It's been years since James last saw Keith. They have a lot to catch up on.





	Six Years

**Author's Note:**

> alright so in canon keith is 21 and james is about 23 because of all the time jumps and shit, and that's the ages i decided to make them in this fic too
> 
> enjoy

It’s been six years.  _ Six years _ . It’s been two-thousand ninety-one days since he last saw him, but yet he didn’t expect to see him so soon. Almost too soon. But now when he’s back, it’s like he never left to begin with. At the very first glance, he’s the same. He’s the same lanky and little boy from James’ class back in middle school, who always used to sit at the back rows so James would have to pretend to watch the sky through the large windows as an excuse to try and steal a glance backwards every now and then to watch  _ him _ instead. They were only children then. No war threatening to destroy their planet,  _ their home _ , for every passing second. For every heartbeat.

 

But then James looked again,  _ really _ looked, long and hard and with hope and depth. This certainly wasn’t the same boy James once had known. No, that’s not right. James had never known him. Not like Shirogane had known him. He had barely known him good enough to even speak to him more than some light conversations to fill the silence, or space. (Most of the time James had done all the talking and without even getting as much as a nod in response.)

 

This is not the kid filled with so much anger that it would spill over  _ all the time _ . This is not the quiet kid who would push people away before they could get too close. This is not the lonely boy who refused to be in the centre of the attention, but the few times he was, he would always be brilliant. Too brilliant for James’ own good.  He’s different now. He’s grown up. He’s got the same shaggy and unkempt hair that only he could pull off. He’s got the same violet eyes that no one else on earth has. He’s got the same face, but it’s older now and it’s scarred but the bags underneath his eyes are lighter and his brow isn’t furrowed anymore.

 

And James can’t stop looking. He can’t pull his eyes away. There’s just too much to see. Too much to wanting to touch, feel, devour. He almost can’t stop the urge to do all those things. And then, just a moment later, it’s all gone and James has to turn his body away and his face down because he’s looking at him back. For just the briefest of seconds their eyes meet, but they don’t lock, and James takes his helmet off, shakes his head to make his hair fall mostly into place, and walks away. He just walks away, pretending he just didn’t spend ten minutes just staring at this other man even though every other person there could confirm he did. What he misses though, is that Keith stares right back as he leaves.

  
  
  


_ _ _

  
  
  


Something that hasn’t changed is that it’s seemingly impossible to interact with Keith. At least for James. But not for the same reasons. Keith does actually speak up now and he says whatever first comes to mind, which is crazy considering everything he says always sound so well thought-through and incredible. Or maybe that’s just the part James sees and hears. He imagines it’s different for people who actually are Keith’s friends. He imagines all the silly and stupid things he tells Shirogane. He imagines what it’s like to listen to Keith speak about something, or  _ someone _ , he would die for. Something he’s so admirably passionate about. That’s when James realizes that perhaps he is the one who hasn’t changed one bit, not at all. At least not on this part.

 

But on the other hand, he doesn’t even try to speak to Keith, even though it’s been six years. There are always people rushing past them. There are always people around them. He’s spoken to him a couple of times, but mostly because of some mission, or that one time that kind of turned into a mission, when they went to see the Yellow Paladin’s parents. His name’s Hunk, James remembers. He’s never been good with names, but that one’s stuck with him so far.

 

So there has been times, when he’s had opportunities, and when he’s taken them. But at the same time he’s never spoken directly to Keith and it’s just easier to ignore it and pretend it’s because they’re just so damn busy. That’s an excuse, and James knows it. But if he were all alone with Keith, just the two of them, what would he say? What would  _ Keith _ say? Would they just sit quietly, waiting for the other to say the first word? Unlike Keith, James has never been good with silence. It makes him feel trapped. Would he apologize for that one time he had said all those awful things about Keith’s parents that had earned him a bruising punch right in the face? Would he do that, even though he already had? And Keith had told him that he already had forgiven him, but James knew that it wasn’t because of James’ regret and guilt, but rather because Keith just couldn’t bother to be angry at James because he simply wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth Keith’s anger.

 

And then the day comes and there’s another mission just right around the corner. They’re finally going to get the lions to try and stop the attack on earth once and for all. Him and the rest of his MFE team; Kinkade, Leifsdottir and Razavi, will personally transport the paladins to their assigned destinations, along with Veronica McClain. It’s a simple task for them, it’s for the mission. It’s for Earth. It’s for the whole universe. But James can’t help to think that maybe this is it. Maybe this is what he’s been waiting for. Maybe this is the opportune moment, and it makes James feel selfish, because why would he even consider getting something personal out of this? It’s bizarre. But maybe that’s just how the universe works. Somehow there’s space for everything. Every single little thing. He’s just trying to make the best out of the whole situation, with the war going on and they’re in the middle of it.

 

The MFE pilots get the chance to choose who they will transport, and there’s really nothing special about it. The pilots barely even know the paladins. But he’s looking at Keith the whole time, and he’s sure someone is going to notice, but it doesn’t matter, because that someone surely won’t be Keith. Shirogane, on the other hand, is not as oblivious as his best friend. James lets his gaze slip for just a moment, to Keith’s right. He catches Shirogane’s eyes and there’s something in them that looks like understanding, and perhaps even encouragement. And then Shirogane looks away, like it never even happened, but there’s something about him that still outshines these things that James just saw in his eyes.

 

So James straightens his back, folds his arms, and he turns his gaze back to Keith just in time to catch the glance the other man sends  _ his _ way. This time he lets their eyes lock. This time he doesn’t look away. And before any of the other MFE pilots even has the chance to announce who they would like to fly out, James parts his lips and says, clear as day, “I’m taking Keith.”

 

Their gazes never separate. Not even once.

  
  
  


_ _ _

  
  
  


It’s time to go and James is as ready as he’ll ever be, he’s just waiting for Keith. He watches him from across the field, and this is Keith and Shirogane’s moment, but he can’t stop. They’re hugging, and James wonders if they always do right before they go into fight, to prepare themselves. He wonders if they’re hugging to perhaps give each other some kind of closure just in case one of them doesn’t come back. And then it hits him and there’s suddenly a lump in his stomach, because he remembers hearing about Shirogane dying and then being brought back to life during their many years in space, and he wonders if Keith ever got to say goodbye. He wonders if Keith hugged him one last time before it was too late. And then he wonders if the reason he always hugs Shirogane now before they part ways, is because he forgot that one time and he thought he would never get to do it again.

 

“So,” a voice says and James is being brought back from his many thoughts. “Ready to go?”

 

Keith is standing right in front of him and he’s embarrassed to say that it took him a second too long to even figure out what Keith meant. Before he knows it he asks, “Where?”

 

The Black Paladin just grins at him. It’s small and only one side of his mouth lifts. But his eyes are shining with some sort of laughter, and before James can embarrass himself even more, Keith shoves James’ pilot helmet into his hands and starts to climb the ship. “Yeah, let’s go Griffin.”

 

So they do. At first it’s quiet and almost peaceful. It’s the moments right before a disaster. It’s like angelic music playing over complete chaos in the background. It’s like a poem about hope being read while your life crashes around you. They fly in silence until James speaks up out of nowhere, and to be honest he’s kind of surprised to hear himself talk. “I didn’t want to interrupt,” he tells Keith.

 

Keith sounds slightly taken aback. “Interrupt what?” he asks James.

 

“You and Shirogane,” he answers and he doesn’t even know why he’s telling Keith this, because it’s not even James’ moment to talk about.

 

“Oh.  _ Oh _ ,” Keith sounds almost embarrassed, like no one was supposed to see it even though they were standing in the middle of the crowd. “It was just a hug.” And James knows that, that they were only hugging. He hadn’t even mentioned anything else. But at the same time it was more than just a hug, and he can’t stop himself from telling Keith that. “Look, anyone back there could see that it was obviously more to it than just physical affection. It looked way too emotional.”

 

“He’s my best friend,” Keith tells James then. “I won’t lose him again.”

 

“I hope so too,” James says, because he genuinely does. He’s lost his own best friend, as well.

 

“No.  _ I really won’t _ ,” Keith responds and it’s a promise but not to him, and not even to Keith himself. It’s a promise to Shiro.

 

And James can’t say anything back to  _ that _ , but that’s also another thing that hasn’t changed about Keith during those six years. It’s that passion, that determination, that loyalty, that James used to envy because he thought he lacked all those things. But he’s got them too, and perhaps not in the same way as Keith, but he does. And he admires all this about Keith, and wonders briefly if anyone will ever admire those things about him, too. Then he’s interrupted by  _ himself _ , because he says, “I know you won’t need it, but I will personally make sure of that.”  _ Make sure that you’ll never lose him again _ .

 

It’s a bit strange, and if Keith thinks so too then he doesn’t mention it, instead he mumbles a “thank you,” and James can hear the sincerness in his words, in his voice, and it makes him smile. Perhaps more than he admits.

 

“My pleasure,” James says then, and it’s a bit funny because the last time one of them had said those words to the other, he had gotten punched in the face. Which he deserved.

 

They don’t say anything else after that, because they don’t have to. There are a lot of things left unsaid, but they don’t weigh James down like they used to. Then they arrive at Keith’s destination and before he knows it they’re back in reality. They’re fighting a war, Earth’s whole destiny relies on this mission, and Keith has to go because that’s the actual reason James flew him out here. He’s just going to drop off Keith and let him do the rest. That’s all.

 

The Black Lion is right next to them, and she’s breathtaking. She’s more than he ever could’ve imagined. And right before Keith goes, James feel like he needs to say something more. He catches Keith’s attention with a “Hey,” then he tells him, “Take down some of those assholes for me?” It’s a question, but it sounds more like a command

 

“I was already planning to,” Keith answers, and James turns his head around right in time to catch another one of those half smiles and mischievous, violet eyes, before Keith salutes him with two fingers, because they are and always will be military men, then he’s gone.

 

James watches for a couple of seconds as Keith flies away in the Black Lion, and how he ever thought he could beat him, he doesn’t know. Keith’s easily the best pilot the universe’s ever seen.

  
  
  


_ _ _

  
  
  


James doesn’t actually see him in person again until after they had defeated Sendak and his army. It’s a long and draining fight, and after that huge explosion resulting in the lions falling from the sky in their different colors, they all thought it was over. How could all five paladins possibly survive such a fall? It’s got to be some of that Altean magic they all keep mentioning.

 

Shirogane gives a speech at the ceremony, honoring Adam, the man he had once loved, and everyone else who had fallen during the four year long war on Earth. James is there, but his thoughts are somewhere entirely else, and he’s positive Shiro feels the same. When all is said and done, there are plenty of officials just waiting to honor and thank Shirogane as well. James stands to the side and just  _ watches _ , something he’s found himself doing a lot lately. He’s looking at Shiro, the man who bore not only the whole world, but the whole universe, on his own shoulders.

 

He wanted to ask if Shiro would like to follow him to the hospital to visit Keith, perhaps as an excuse as not to visit him all alone, but then Shirogane looks at him with those deep and understanding eyes once again, and he’s silently urging James to just  _ go _ , because Keith is waiting anyway and it’s okay. It’s okay because Shiro will come once he’s done.

 

So James does.

 

When he arrives the door is already half open. The first one to spot him is a woman. She looks young, around his own age even though he has no idea how that works for a different species. Her hair is purple and almost reaches her shoulders, and her skin looks almost blue. There’s another woman in the room, as well, but she’s sitting on the bed. She looks older, and she highly resembles Keith. James already knows that it must be his mother, and suddenly he remembers all the awful things he used to say about  _ her, _ a woman they all thought to be dead. He’s ashamed of it and will make sure to apologize to her later.

 

Besides the two women in the room, there’s a man. It’s not Keith’s father, because James actually remembers what he looked like before he died, when he used to pick up Keith from school. This man, however, is very much alike the other two keeping Keith company. He has white hair in a long braid, and a scar across one eye. They all seem to bear some kind of uniform with the same shining symbol. They’re all warriors. He can’t even imagine what  _ they _ have  _ lost. _

 

Then the older woman turns her head around, like she knew he was there the whole time, and she gives him the exact look that Shiro just did. And as a mother, she knows her son better than anyone, so when Keith spots James at last, she stands up to leave the two of them alone, the man and the girl leaving with her.

 

“Hey,” James says in a voice so soft he barely recognizes it himself. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Good,” Keith answers, even though he’s still stuck in bed with a bandage around his head. Guess the Altean magic couldn’t prevent a concussion. “Better,” he says then, as an after-thought.

 

“I’m glad to hear that,” James tells him, as he takes a seat on the bed where Keith’s mother just had sat. Then they fall quiet, and it’s just the soft beeping of a heart monitor echoing through the room and the rhythm of their beating hearts and breaths.

 

James runs the pad of his thumb over a tag he’s holding, its chain falling between his fingers. It’s an ID tag, commonly used by military. Back when they went to school at Galaxy Garrison, they all wore them, even as cadets.

 

“What’s that?” Keith then asks him, noticing the tag James is holding. The older man stills in his moments, almost dreading having to explain to Keith that it isn’t James’ own tag.

 

“It’s, uh-- it’s stupid,” James mumbles, inhaling sharply. “But when you left, six years ago, this was the only trace you left. And I-- I found it on your pillow in our dorm, so I took it and hid it because they were going to throw it away and I was afraid that you wouldn’t be remembered. You didn’t deserve that, Keith,” James explains. His voice is quiet but steady and Keith’s own expression is unreadable. James swallows.

 

Keith shifts then, making more room on the bed for James to move closer, so he does. He clutches the tag in his palm as he leans on the same hand against the bed. Keith is still looking at him, dark orbs almost piercing his very soul. Then James lifts his other hand and reaches out towards the other man without thinking. He stops mid air, suddenly hyper aware of his every movement. Keith glances towards his outstretched hand, then he smiles at James in that kind and soft half smile way, and James can breathe properly again.

 

He lets the back of his hand run down the side of Keith’s face, over the scar, and alongside his neck. Keith just watches James watch him. Then time stops, because James says something entirely unexpected yet they’ve been waiting for this moment for as long as they can remember.

 

“I swear, I could just kiss you right now,” he mutters into the calm quietness surrounding them. He doesn’t stop what he’s doing. He looks as collected and confident as ever, especially for having admitted such a thing.

 

Keith hums, like he’s finally content. “Then why don’t you?” he asks.

 

So James does. He almost surges forwards, stops right before their lips meet, then leans in the final bit. It’s soft, but needy. It’s passionate, but daring. It’s everything James has imagined, but yet nothing like it. He cups the side of Keith’s face as they cling to each other, like nothing, not anything, in the whole universe can keep them apart anymore.

 

James has no idea how long he stays by Keith’s side before he has to leave. It’s evening when there’s another man standing by the door frame, with a soft smile on his face. It’s Shiro. The two cadets are laying in Keith’s hospital bed, just talking, about everything. About nothing. James finally knows what it’s like to hear Keith talk about someone he would die for. Or kill for. Or stay alive for. He could listen to him speak for the rest of their lives.

 

Both of their tags are laying safely on the small table next to the bed, together with the knife that Keith’s carried with him his whole life. It has the same symbol as the uniforms the two women and the man wore. He had told James about it, the knife and sword, the Blades of Marmora. He had told James about Krolia, and he’s never had such respect for anyone else ever before. Keith had told him, “I used to sleep with her knife under my pillow because I never knew her; my mother. But now I sleep with  _ our _ blade under my pillow because I love her; my mom.”

 

Shiro steps into the dimly lit room and the look in his eyes says something like  _ I told you so  _ in a jokingly kind of way. Yeah, he surely did. Then he greets Keith with a hug and James gets off the bed to give them some space. He tells them that they should catch up, that they also have a lot to talk about, and that he needs to talk to someone as well.  _ Krolia _ . He reaches over to the small table to their left and grabs the two tags.

 

“Hey, Jamie,” Keith stops him then, eyes shimmering with laughter. “What about  _ my _ tag?”

 

So James smiles at him, like he’s never smiled at anyone else ever before, and reaches past Shiro to lean above Keith once again, putting the chain around his neck. Then he leans in, giving Keith a soft and lasting kiss, before leaving the room.

 

Shiro watches as Keith grabs the silver plate now hanging around his neck, turning it around between his thumb and forefinger, taking a good look at it. Then he laughs, it’s light hearted and joyful, so Shiro looks at the tag as well, and now he’s also smiling, bright and happy.

 

It says “GRIFFIN, JAMES” in bold letters against cold steel.

  
“He gave me  _ his _ .”

**Author's Note:**

> look, hear me out, in this fic acxa is not related to keith or krolia in any way like at all, and yeah she's the young woman james spots in the hospital room. i just headcanon that while krolia and kolivan were out reviving the blades, acxa joined them and is now also officially a bom member. and like, canonically??? that would be really fucking awesome honestly
> 
> and i saw this really cool and cute sheith fanart on tumblr were shiro wore military dog tags so that's where the inspiration to the ending is from, or at least the tags theme
> 
> thanks for reading!!! so much love to you all and i hope u enjoyed season 7


End file.
